Reed something of a charity veteran

MINING and stock broking veteran David Reed has a long track record of giving both time and money to support not-for-profit and charitable causes.

Mr Reed’s next big project is to raise up to $5 million for Passages, a youth drop-in centre in Northbridge that is backed by the Rotary Club of Perth and the St Vincent de Paul Society, the welfare arm of the Catholic Church.

He chaired the initial $1.6 million fund-raising campaign for Passages, with the biggest support coming from Jack Bendat, after whom its premises are named (right).

Over the past four years, Passages has recorded 17,188 visits and 4,749 clients, and Mr Reed would like to see it provide a wider range of counselling and support services.

He said that owning its premises and fitting it out with new furniture had made a big difference.

“Jack [Bendat] wanted it welcoming to the kids, he didn’t want second-hand furniture,” Mr Reed said.

“We show them some respect, and they respect us.”

Mr Reed is chairman of the SVP Society’s 43 retail centres in Perth, which have been progressively upgraded.

He has also backed a $6.5 million fund-raising campaign so the society can build extra accommodation units in Midland for people affected by mental illness.

Yet another project supported by Mr Reed is the St John of God Foundation’s Lighthouse project, which provides family-like accommodation for homeless teenagers.

Mr Reed was chairman of Lighthouse’s first WA house, in the suburb of Wilson.

Outside of the charity sector, Mr Reed was also involved in the Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame in Kalgoorlie.